Hiya Alex take a seat, what made you decide to go for it as a musician?
Hey, thanks for having us. Good question. It wasn’t planned really. It’s something that has just snowballed really. I started a band with some friends which took us off on a pretty exciting journey. That came to an end at which point I thought it would be a good time to continue with my solo project.
How’s the tour coming on?
It was going well until the dreaded Corona Virus struck. It’s quite funny in reflection that the tour was to promote Going nowhere fast as, well, that’s pretty much what happened ha. It’s for the best though given the current situation; everybody’s in the same boat. We had a great show in Wolverhampton for BBC Introducing. There was a real buzz in the room and the new songs went down a storm.
Do you feel like you are progressing through the industry?
It’s a tough industry. It’s an industry that has its own idea of what should and shouldn’t get heard but we seem to be making good progress. We have an organic fanbase which seems to be growing nicely. Hopefully, with the upcoming releases and shows, we’ll see that following rocket ha.
People are unaware of just how tough the music industry is to break through, how do you stay motivated?
I think it’s important to make music that you enjoy; music for yourself first and foremost. As long as you enjoy what you’re creating then whatever opportunities that follow are a bonus right? It’s also important not to focus too much on what other bands are doing on social media. Comparing your success to another artist can have a huge impact on your own motivation. There is success to be taken in different forms for different artists. Just keep doing what you enjoy.
What was the most fun you have had on stage?
I always have fun on stage but one of the greatest times I’ve had was when we played at Y Not Festival. During our last song, I jumped into the crowd and told everybody to get down. There were about a thousand people all crouched down around me until I gave them the order to jump up. When the music kicked back in we all jumped up and it went mental. Such a good atmosphere and memory.
What was the worst experience on stage?
We had a nightmare when we played Truck fest. My pedals stopped working and then Ste’s (the guitarist) lead also broke. There we a lot of frustrating technical difficulties during that show. We were gutted as it was a show we’d been looking forward to for so long. But hey, that’s live music.
Tell us something about yourself that you think people would be surprised about?
I’m still working as a Primary school & special needs teacher in the day. Not sure how surprising that is? I think most bands or artists now have to support their music with a day job
What tips do you have booking tours and managing the travel?
Plan them out. Have an idea of dates that you want to do and try and map a sensible route out. It’s good to get to know promoters that you enjoy working with and get them on board. Travel wise, if you have friends places that you can stay at…make the most of that offer to bring the costs down. It’s normally more fun as well.
What’s your biggest achievement?
That’s a tough one. I’ve been lucky enough to support some amazing artists and play some equally amazing places. During my solo career, I think it has to be winning the Pirate Studios ‘Pirate’ competition. I remember getting an email saying that I’d got through to the final hundred which blew me away. I never thought it would go any further, let alone win the thing. It led to some great opportunities such as playing the Isle of Wight, Truck and Y Not Festival. It was a blast!
What makes you stand out?
I think my sound. It’s a pretty cinematic sound that blends guitars and strings. Don’t think there are many other bands out there doing that at the moment.
Right now, what’s pissing you off the most?
Corona. I’m not the only one am i?
Tell me about your new single and how it came about?I wrote it during a time where the country was stuck in a political stalemate and at the same time, I felt like I was stuck in limbo in my personal life.It’s funny because it fits the current situation very well too. But that’s what it’s about. Life will always throw obstacles at you. It’s how you deal with getting over them that counts.
What’s coming up in 2020?
We’ll be pushing the EP release back now to August/September time. We’re in the process of rescheduling the tour dates to go with that release too.I think that we have dates for Birmingham, Liverpool, London, Cambridge and Glasgow so far as well as Moseley Folk Festival. I’m just looking forward to getting out and playing live again when this is all over. I’ll be doing some online gigs in the meantime.